Listen To Tom Verlaine Threatening Me

I may need to clarify a few points regarding my strange interaction with Tom Verlaine, as some people are so thick that they are still accusing me to have broken the rules when I used my iPhone during Television’s gig at the Teragram Ballroom. I want to be clear, the place is very liberal when it comes to cameras, I have been to tens of concerts there, and I have always been able to use my professional camera without asking for a photo pass. I have seen Queens of the Stone Age there and used my camera. And I have even seen Television at this same place a few years ago, and used this same camera without any problem. This is why I didn’t bother to ask for a photo pass in advance Looking back at what happened, I guess it would have been denied anyway.

Then I asked the Teragram Ballroom staff if it was okay to take pics with iPhones, and they said iPhones pics were fine – apparently they had just talked with Television’s manager because they mentioned to me it was a special request from the manager, going against their normally generous policy. They obviously know you can film with iPhones so I don’t think I had to specify I would also use my iPhone for this.

There was not a ‘no picture policy’ anywhere in the venue, no sign, no warning and if phones were allowed, they knew pictures would be taken. I even saw people behind me using regular cameras (with no detachable lens), so they were allowed at the show. This is a common practice at concerts, ‘no professional cameras allowed’ doesn’t mean no pictures at all, it just means that professional cameras are not allowed but all the rest is. I am convinced this was the case for this show, and the use of iPhones was totally allowed.

And for all the people who say I was obstructing the view, I have to say they are wrong as I was front row and was not holding the phone higher than my chest or eyes height. It was not an intrusive way to film, and I was not using the flash either.

I am convinced the entire thing was about the potential monetization of the photos and videos, Verlaine asked me if I would be selling the recordings, and professional photos can eventually be sold, although I am not sure if there is a real market for pics of Television! So it was not about being intrusive, it was about the idea of me making money off him. however, the idea of selling the recordings is completely out of touch with today’s reality, has Verlaine ever heard of YouTube where every concert is documented for free access? Whether you like it or not, this is 2017, music is all over the internet for free and bootleggers are not making any money with recordings of concerts.

To confirm this point, his ex band mate Richard Lloyd reposted my first report of the incident on his Facebook page and got many reactions. This particular comment is particularly telling

Verlaine could just have said ‘stop filming’ and I would have stopped. Sarcastic or not, a threat like ‘I’ll chop your head off’ was totally out of line, and the way he touched my hair as he did was extremely weird. A friend standing next to me witnessed to incident, and although he told me he didn’t hear what Verlaine told me, he commented with this:

The funny thing is that my phone was still recording and I have isolated the part when he threatens me. You have to imagine, he had his arm around my neck at this point, and this is why I sound uncomfortable. You can listen to it below.

10 Responses to “Listen To Tom Verlaine Threatening Me”

Hel

There is ZERO reason for you to explain or justify your behavior YOU ARE A VICTIM OF HIS PSYCHOTIC EPISODE. You were Threatened and that is a crime. I dont care if your phone blocked a stadium .. HE THREATENED PHYSICAL HARM. I would not let it rest until it was on fucking TMZ and that prick was doing community service.

Hel's rancid cunt

Hel, go fucking die in a fire. idiots like you are the reason we are now stuck with trump. It’s pretty obvious from the recording that he was annoyed and being sarcastic. what was he going to chop her head off with? his telecaster?

Tommy Malboeuf

he sounded like he was halfway joking – everyone knows he doesn’t like or tolerate recordings and it’s been like that for years – if you were a “fan” (hahahah) you would know this – hell he even busted Michael Carlucchi’s ball’s who was the primo fan- who had a record store for years pretty much dedicated to them (do you know which one) – cmon’ you are a fan….

standing there with a phone in his face was sure to annoy him – it’s like pushing a sore tooth – quit bitching about it and admit that regardless of what the venue said – TV doesn’t like that stuff – most people working in bars don’t care if you bounce around singing along to the words you know of See No Evil…

all of the boobs who are agreeing will still go see him/them and sing along with Marquee Moon because it’s the hip thing to do – you should’ve went and taken pictures at that fake Dead Boys reunion and sang along with that –

i think Tom let you off easy for bailly sticking your fat middle finger in his face

Glory Shane

I’ve known Tom for forty years. He was half joking. He doesn’t like to play with a camera two feet away. He’s very sensitive about the lights in his eyes, his microphone, etc. Have some respect for his sensitivity.

Glory Shane

I was at the Teragram the next night when there were people with camera phones up against the stage and he said nothing about them. He was in a great mood, smiling and making jokes. Someone yelled a question, “Tom, what’s your favorite Television album?” Tom answered, “Sea Hunt. That old television show about a guy who’s photographed in a wet suit underwater. Lloyd Bridges…” It was the best show I’ve ever seen Television play. The sound at the Teragram was fantastic. I wish they’d do a live album. Maybe there was something you were doing that really annoyed him.

Alyson

‘Maybe there was something you were doing that really annoyed him’. honestly no. I can’t see anything, and it’s not my style at all. I was just holding my phone in front of me, it was not intrusive, not under his nose at all, (I was far) the phone was at its lowest brightness. Your comment confirms he had no problem with people filming the next day, so he must have a very ‘bipolar mood’, I have no other explanation.

Alyson

Light? there was no light, no flash, my phone brightness was at the lowest. And I was more than 2 feet away from him. Again, I obviously know he was joking, but that was extremely a weird way to joke, a person standing next to me had this comment after the show, ‘He was very aggressive, really put me off.’ Enough said.